Committee approves Lewis Miller change order; district updates multiple school construction projects

At a July 15 meeting of the Buildings, Food Service and Transportation Committee, members approved a $36,505.60 change order for the Lewis Miller Terrebonne Career Center high school building repair and heard progress reports on several district construction and recovery projects.

The committee recommended approval of Change Order No. 1 for Lewis Miller — additional roof and gutter repairs and a 207-day contract-time increase. The district said $32,855.04 of the change order will be funded by FEMA reimbursement funds and $3,650.56 by local funds; the revised completion date listed in the motion moved to July 27, 2025. The motion was moved and seconded during the meeting and approved with no objections recorded.

The committee also approved a $26,561.82 change order (Change Order No. 2) for the Coto Bio Blue Elementary School HVAC replacement project to cover mechanical modifications tied to a security project and to add 5/8-inch mold- and mildew-resistant gypsum board on the corridor side only, on existing wood studs; funds for that change order will come from the building fund.

Contractors reported the Ellinger demolition is roughly 30 days from contract completion; rain days have delayed work but no monetary changes were recorded so far. Staff said crews cleared most material and retained some interior concrete to permit simultaneous work on front and back site areas.

Work on the new middle school has progressed through pile driving. The project team reported piles meeting refusal at shallower depths than anticipated; the contractor will shorten remaining piles from 65 feet toward 50 feet for portions of the site. The project has documented 15 adverse weather days so far (seven in June and additional days previously recorded). The design and schedule aim for a concrete slab pour by September; the committee was reminded the contract with Thompson is a 600-day contract, with a target completion of December 2026.

Upper Little Cayo and Grand Cayo elementary projects are awaiting final FEMA review. Staff said they have submitted multiple rounds of responses and returned a set of materials to FEMA on June 23; further action depends on FEMA’s pending comments.

At Saltairabonga (modular-portable replacement), staff reported final drawings are being modified to install three modular buildings to replace four demolished portables; foundation pricing and a contractor quote for foundations are pending. An auditorium soffit closure and restoration of permanent power were also described as nearly complete.

Project presenters emphasized coordination with faculty, finalizing room plans (the transcript records a specific recent coordination with Dr. Marquita Grant on a Home Economics layout), and continuing FEMA submissions and documentation when federal funds are involved.

Committee members asked about the length of the 207-day extension on the Lewis Miller work and about how rain days are counted for the new middle school contract; staff said the Lewis Miller extension primarily reflected the school’s request to shift work into summer months to avoid working while students are on campus. On weather delays, staff said contractors document adverse days (using weather services such as AccuWeather) and the district will consider formal time-extension change orders only if documented delays exceed contract allowances.

Presenters also reminded the committee that “substantial completion” allows occupancy with a 45-day period to finish punch-list items, and that district staff will try to schedule noisier work outside school hours where necessary. Several board members urged taking extra time to get the work right rather than rushing to meet a calendar date.

The reports included requests for continued monitoring of weather-related schedule risk, continued FEMA coordination for grant-funded work and follow-up with the project managers if additional time extensions or change orders are required.